Database Users

Would you switch from Note2 to Nexus4?

I got 30 days with my note2 and i got some decisions to make. Anyone else using the Note2 thinking of getting the Nexus4?

SysAdmNj said:
I got 30 days with my note2 and i got some decisions to make. Anyone else using the Note2 thinking of getting the Nexus4?
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Click to collapse
I wouldn't have the note 2 in the first place. You could kill someone with the size of that phone

SysAdmNj said:
I got 30 days with my note2 and i got some decisions to make. Anyone else using the Note2 thinking of getting the Nexus4?
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Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat. I only have 14 days to make my decision though. I really like the note 2, but I like the idea of not being on contract with T-Mobile hence my conundrum with Nexus 4. What are your thoughts?
Syirrus

F4M0U569 said:
I wouldn't have the note 2 in the first place. You could kill someone with the size of that phone
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Click to collapse
Well true, because of its weight I find myself filling up more at the pump.
Syirrus said:
I'm in the same boat. I only have 14 days to make my decision though. I really like the note 2, but I like the idea of not being on contract with T-Mobile hence my conundrum with Nexus 4. What are your thoughts?
Syirrus
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Click to collapse
I think the note's size is a little much but if moving to the Nexus4 would mean going backwards as far as performance I wouldnt be happy with that either. I may just end up getting the Nexus4 on top lol.

I don't ownt he Note 2 or plan to buy one. Ever. But if I bought one, it would have been because I wanted a screen that size so I wouldn't trade it for the Nexus 4.

I don't think so...
I have AT&T Note ii and I have Nexus 4 16GB on the way. But I am buying Nexus 4 just to see how it is and then give it to my dad in India. There are multiple reasons for sticking with Note ii.
1) Removable MicroSD slot
2) Awesome Battery Life and Removable Battery
3) LTE Speeds (I use team viewer a lot to help my family and friends with their PCs and I am youtube junkie. Also s-pen helps a lot with team viewer and gotomypc apps.)
4) Every custom UI has its drawbacks and its positives. I feel like TouchWiz has improved a lottt and it has amazing new features which I use a lot on Note ii, like smart stay,smart rotation, smart alert, direct call, turn over to mute, palm swipe to capture screen shot and many more...
5) S-Pen is just amazing feature. I love to note down things immediately and also taking notes in the meeting. I love playing draw something too. :silly:
6) Big size and screen is negative for someone, but for me, I just love the big screen. It can be cumbersome to use it with one hand sometimes, but rest of the times while watching youtube videos and pictures and browsing, the experience is just stellar.
I have nexus 7 and I gotta tell you, for my own test, stock android doesn't cut it. I have to do many extra things to customize it. Though, it is just my opinion. Plenty of people love the stock android.

I dont know why people keep comparing them, ones a tablet that makes calls and ones a phone

I sold off my Note 2 to get the Nexus 4.
The size of the Note didn't bother me too much, I was still able to carry/bring it everywhere like a regular phone. The problems I had with it mostly laid with Touchwiz. I've only owned Nexus devices, I've had every single one of them (even if I only kept the Gnex for 6 months. **** verizon). I just really didn't like the looks of it, it's not visually appealing at all. Then we get to the s-pen. It certainly is a cool feature, but I'm no artist, I rarely need to edit spreadsheets on a mobile device. So it was mostly going unused for me. Plus the cost, I would rather pay half the price of the Note to have a device thats still quite high end. The $710 pricetag of the Note (with tax) really put a dent in my fun moneys.
My overall experience with the Note just solidified that I'll likely never own a Samsung cell phone, unless they make another Nexus.

I already have
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Bleaumaglite said:
I sold off my Note 2 to get the Nexus 4.
The size of the Note didn't bother me too much, I was still able to carry/bring it everywhere like a regular phone. The problems I had with it mostly laid with Touchwiz. I've only owned Nexus devices, I've had every single one of them (even if I only kept the Gnex for 6 months. **** verizon). I just really didn't like the looks of it, it's not visually appealing at all. Then we get to the s-pen. It certainly is a cool feature, but I'm no artist, I rarely need to edit spreadsheets on a mobile device. So it was mostly going unused for me. Plus the cost, I would rather pay half the price of the Note to have a device thats still quite high end. The $710 pricetag of the Note (with tax) really put a dent in my fun moneys.
My overall experience with the Note just solidified that I'll likely never own a Samsung cell phone, unless they make another Nexus.
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Click to collapse
If the note was unlocked I would keep it over the nex 4 any day... The nex 4 seems awesome but a note 2 is an amassing device.. Of I could get an unlocked one for around the same price I would love to get one..
Just curious, how much did you sell the note for and was it unlocked?
sent via xda premium with nexus 7-Xbox live-loneleppard add me

Note II to a Nexus 4 would be a huge downgrade.
Problem with touchwiz? Unlock and install vanilla android on it and problem solved.

I could never give up my Note II the screen size is amazing, camera is amazing and there hasn't been any major issues that I have heard. I think the Nexus as amazing as it is isn't quite at the same level as the Note.

nba1341 said:
Note II to a Nexus 4 would be a huge downgrade.
Problem with touchwiz? Unlock and install vanilla android on it and problem solved.
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Click to collapse
Can you actually do that?! If so, please point at the thread!!!

I wouldn't. The quality of Note 2 is significantly better, components used are better, internal design is better and what you get with Nexus 4 is a slightly faster CPU (which is slower after it throttles down) and official vanilla Android. I mean, it's a great phone for its price that I'm considering getting but it's not as good as the Note 2 overall. If you don't care about timely updates to official Android for the next 2 years or so as much as about hardware quality I'd keep the Note 2.

i have both. the nexus 4 is a solid phone but doesnt compare with the note 2. the note 2 is quicker ( regardless of benchmarks), samsung have done a top job with this version of touchwiz & the screen quality seems more vivid plus the additional size makes everything a pleasure:good:

Not really amused by the Nexus 4, I want a Note 2 now.

I have n4 would rather had note II but didnt have note II money. Nexus is fast. Its one the the best phones out and great price.

I don't want a phablet, I was happy to give up using a stylus once capacitive screens came out and there is no way in hell I'd pay $600 for an android device. N4 is an easy choice and if I already had the Note II I'd sell it, buy a N4 and have $300 ready for next year when the N5 comes out.

600 dollars for a big piece of touchwiz plastic. No thank you. N4 is good for me and then some.

Already have..... I took it back after using it for 10 days, got me 2 nexus and $89 back.
I've been using my Nexus for a day already and I don't miss the note.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

N4 or Note II

I have a chance to exchange my N4 for Note II + $120 C on top of my phone. I don't know what to do. I would really like to have super amoled 5.5" screenn, SD card and stronger battery. The things I don't like is physical buttons, and not a Google phone (updates and freedom of Nexus phones). I have no idea what to do. Should I go for it. What you think? Please give me your opinion.

Do it. Use the $120 towards the N4 8gb.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Decide it for yourself. One thing I hate about the Note(all Sammy devices) is that they get really sticky due to sweat. I have seen my brother's GS3 that it's really sticky to touch. On the other hand, the N4 requires a fragile user. You must have seen the numerous thread about people breaking the phone on the first day. If you are one who drops the phone a lot, then stay away from the N4.
OS side isn't a problem, if you don't mind rooting and modding. Both phones have great dev communities backing it up on the software side.
I highly suggest to try both phones by yourself in a store or some other place and decide it for yourself.

Before I got my Nexus, I was going to get the Note ll. Then I saw it up close, too big to fit in my pockets and a pain to hold. I ended getting the nexus 4, you can't beat it. I ended buying it unlocked because I don't want to sign another contract with ROBBERS. Great specs, great price, timely updates and stock Android.
It falls on the user though. Some people enjoy a huge phablet like a note ll. Depends what you are going to use it for.
Sent from my awesome Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Nexus⁴ via Tapatalk

I never put my phone in the pants poked anyway. My hands can hold it normally, not to too big. Plastic look is bothering me I have to say that. Compare to N4 look Note II is like a toy. From other side Samsung device like Note II have no others to compare. What else you can take to have super amoled 5.5" screen and similar spec. Nothing really.

I've had both . The note is nice but i think its to big to be a phone for me . The removable battery is nice and I got over a SD slot a long time ago. So for me its N4 all the way .
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

N4, nice solid phone, you can't go wrong go with it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

exactly...

I had the original Note and now I have the Nexus 4. The only thing I miss about the Note is the bigger screen. I don't make a lot of calls, my smartphone is more of a mobile computer, so a big screen is desirable.
The reason I switched is because Samsung (as well as most OEMs) do a horrible job of updating their phones. I've had two non-Nexus Android phones, and I hated that every time a new version of Android was released, I had to wait months or a year to get the update, if at all.
Sure there's always CM, but without kernel source, a lot of phones run like crap with CM. I have the HTC Inspire and battery life was awful with CM. I had the Note and it would randomly reboot with CM because the kernel was a hack because no JB source.
For me, features and stability won out over screen size. That being said, if the next Nexus phone is bigger than the N4, I'll be getting it immediately.

EvoXOhio said:
I had the original Note and now I have the Nexus 4. The only thing I miss about the Note is the bigger screen. I don't make a lot of calls, my smartphone is more of a mobile computer, so a big screen is desirable.
The reason I switched is because Samsung (as well as most OEMs) do a horrible job of updating their phones. I've had two non-Nexus Android phones, and I hated that every time a new version of Android was released, I had to wait months or a year to get the update, if at all.
Sure there's always CM, but without kernel source, a lot of phones run like crap with CM. I have the HTC Inspire and battery life was awful with CM. I had the Note and it would randomly reboot with CM because the kernel was a hack because no JB source.
For me, features and stability won out over screen size. That being said, if the next Nexus phone is bigger than the N4, I'll be getting it immediately.
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Click to collapse
I came from the Note n7000 as well. Used my phone in the same manner, as a mini PC. However, I wouldnt go back to the Note. It all depends on your needs for the phone. If you want a better camera and a media device due to the large screen. Then ya. However, if you prefer excellent battery life on a phone with a global community of great developers then stay with the n4.
PS remember Nexus 4 will get updates much faster than the note 2 and you wont get asked/mocked/ridiculed CONSTANTLY about having such a massive phone and explaining to others why you have it.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

ak700 said:
Decide it for yourself. One thing I hate about the Note(all Sammy devices) is that they get really sticky due to sweat. I have seen my brother's GS3 that it's really sticky to touch. On the other hand, the N4 requires a fragile user. You must have seen the numerous thread about people breaking the phone on the first day. If you are one who drops the phone a lot, then stay away from the N4.
OS side isn't a problem, if you don't mind rooting and modding. Both phones have great dev communities backing it up on the software side.
I highly suggest to try both phones by yourself in a store or some other place and decide it for yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i gotta say though the note 2 is lacking in the "original development" area. there's lots of ports and touchwiz based roms but for an aosp, there's much to be desired.
cyanogenmod was onboard until relatively recently then it stopped. it's up to a few to really keep it up and so far, it's all been nightlies and no stable releases.
i just gave up my note 2 and had to come back to a nexus 4 because of the lack of support. gs3 or gs4 probably has proper support.

Having both the N4 and the NII I'd say emphatically the Note II is worth it. No picky, fragile sim card tray. No fragile glass back, poor reception, slow mobile data.
The Note II has a 2-3 day battery, gets a signal where the N4 can't, and has a beautiful display.
The best thing about the N4 is the price and it's a Google device. For $120 anybody would be nuts to choose a N4.

testulous said:
Having both the N4 and the NII I'd say emphatically the Note II is worth it. No picky, fragile sim card tray. No fragile glass back, poor reception, slow mobile data.
The Note II has a 2-3 day battery, gets a signal where the N4 can't, and has a beautiful display.
The best thing about the N4 is the price and it's a Google device. For $120 anybody would be nuts to choose a N4.
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Click to collapse
Is nexus reception that poor? I need to decide between those two phones. One big drawback for me is mali400 in note 2. I think that adreno 320 is more futureproof. Could you tell me about camera quality on nexus vs note 2? My brother has note 2 but unfortunately i dont know anyone with nexus 4 to compare them.
Sent from my LG-P920 using xda app-developers app

Camera in note2 is far superior in focus IQ and speed. Low light images are better on the note 2. I also used to have one.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Depends on your needs! For instance, a friend of mine is a designer, she loves NOTE2.

Thank you everyone. I will stay with my N4. I just can not stand physical buttons, cheap plastic and huge price differences. N4 is better device except sd card and smaller screen. The only thing I would like is 5.5" but everything else is step back for me. Not even mentioning the community for N4. So much stuff to choose between. With Note 2 after having N4 I will feel like having old device and stick with what I have. No way, not me...

note3 vs s4, worth the upgrade?

so i know a lot of people are debating getting the note 3, coming from their note 2s, but is anyone else out there considering doing it from their s4?
i like my s4, out of the box theres very little needing to be done. it was the first phone ive owned where custom roms would only mess things up. battery life for days, camera didnt need any hacking, everything ran fast, and looked good. there was an annoying popup turning up volume with headphones, and that was pretty much it. oh yeah and it didnt have a good sound chip like the s3, but the note3 wont either so thats not in the running.
despite being a solid phone, my reason for considering an upgrade is really just to change things up. is anyone thinking of moving to the note3 from the s4?
ill add "Thanks" to anyone giving feedback/input/2¢
note3
better gpu/cpu
more ram
internal memory
possibly s pen features?
s4
screen has better density,, otherwise no other differences?
up in the air
glass type?
probably same LED?
gps?
still pictures?
4k is alright, but what looks better in 1080p? (only thing that matters in 2013)
battery life?
radio?
air gesture? (really ONLY useful for gloves)

I have considered it and for me it's simply a matter of do I need...
1) a bigger screen again and
2) the spen features.
Although tempted by the Note 3 (after a year of the Note and Note 2) I went to the S4 in May. I really miss the spen and larger screen but found the size of the Note devices to be too much of a hassle in/out pocket, etc. But that's just me....I use my S4 (gps) for a lot of outdoor activity (backpacking, running, biking, note taking..ideas, etc.), and the Note 3 size would just make it more difficult to lug around.
My experience w/S4* has been nothing but excellent and it really fits all my needs for a smartphone...although I wish it had an onboard stylus.
So I basically think it's a matter of how you use your smartphones. Currently I'm sporting a S4 combined with Nexus 7. If I did get the N3 I'd get rid of the N7.
No doubt however, when it arrives in the stores i will definitely compare my S4 to the N3 and ponder...can I make it work for me? But the 5", physical size, sensors, etc. of the S4 work great.
*S4: stock, nova. Other than the original Palm pilot, it's the first smartphone I've owned that I haven't jailbreak, rooted, romed, etc. I enjoy the fact that everything works.

I actually will be going from the S4 to the Note 3.
The larger screen size will be nice for the real estate, but it's a slight trade off as I will lose the 1 handed operation I'm used to, and it's the same screen and resolution (diamond Pentile 1080p) as the S4 so you will technically lose some PPI, relevant or not.
For me getting the N3 is largely about the SPen features I'm looking forward to, especially with what I'm working on these days. The bump from 16 to 32GB storage is also welcomed. Also the new radio power management should provide a nice boost and I have little doubt the N3 will last a bunch longer on battery than the S4. USB3 is also a nice plus.
Everything else for me is a wash, Sammy's TW 4.3 will feel the same I'm sure. Yea the 800 will be faster than the 600 but will you see all that in day to day? probably not, but it's more future proof I suppose. Don't care about 4K video, and the camera stills will likely be the same between the two.

soraxd said:
up in the air
glass type?
probably same LED?
gps?
still pictures?
4k is alright, but what looks better in 1080p? (only thing that matters in 2013)
battery life?
radio?
air gesture? (really ONLY useful for gloves)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not the same LED. The N3 has more pwoerful LED than the S4.
Both the two variants wont have FM Radio on board.

S4 vs Note3 are pretty much the same device, only in a larger screen.
If I had the S4 I'll probably not get the Note3 unless i wanted a larger screen plus the S-pen
Originally i was going to get the S4 when it was released earlier this year, then i got winds about the Notes3 coming out so I held back, as I wanted all the features from the S4 plus all the feature that the Note3 offers
I'm very glad I waited.

I had this question in mind when I was on s3. I moved to note 2 as it had all features from s3, bigger screen and most of all bigger battery. I am very proud I made that decision so I guess it will be worth to upgrade to note 3 considering the overheating, smearing and poor battery issues of s4.
Sent from the New S Pen

I personally think people buy the Note-series for the wrong reasons. The only reason I owned a N2 (and soon an N3) is because I use S Pen/S Note, inking,, and multiview heavily. Those things require a screen at least as large as the Note's. If I didn't use those things I'd have a SGS4 or one of its competitors because lugging around a phablet isn't always fun. If you have decent size hands one-handed operation is workable but still not ideal.
Ask yourself these questions...
Do I want a larger display? - If yes, from a feature/performance/size perspective the N3's a great choice. If you're not in to S Pen/S Note or inking there are other large screen devices, both available and rumored, to consider that may have larger displays than the N3 or lower prices.
Am I moving to the N3 strictly for performance gains? - The Note-series phones have a lot going on under the hood. 3GB of RAM sounds fantastic but multiview and some of the other S Stuff are going to use a chunk of it. S-800's impressive but other smaller devices including the Nexus 5 and a possible LTE-A S-800 version of the SGS4 will be released with it too. So if you're hunting for performance the N3's a great choice but you may have other smaller-sized choices available soon. If you're going to root and run a non-TW ROM the performance of the N3 without Samsung's "features" should be impressive.
Am I creation/productivity user? - Used for what it's intended, there's nothing that competes with the Note-series. If you aren't currently using a device for creation/productivity but are in a creative line-of-work or do a lot of business communication and time management on your phone it might be worth exploring what the Note's features can provide. I have a Note 10.1 and N2 and would never own a non-Note device again. One man's opinion of course.

BarryH_GEG said:
Do I want a larger display? - If yes, from a feature/performance/size perspective the N3's a great choice. If you're not in to S Pen/S Note or inking there are other large screen devices, both available and rumored, to consider that may have larger displays than the N3 or lower prices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another thing to consider when answering this question is the downside of having a Larger Display, is the size form factor of the phone itself.
Ask you self these questions:
4. How I'm going to carry this phone on a daily basis?
5. How easy/hard would it be for me to access the phone when I need to answer/make a call?
for me I'm still trying to answer #4, I have Notes 1 and it hasn't been easy, I still use my Galaxy S2 more than my Notes 1 because of this reason.
for answer #5 the Samsung Gear, that watch will finally solve my problem I've been having with the Notes 1, yes, i used Bluetooth before, but it wasn't the same, it was really hard to access the phone to look up things as it didn't quite fit in the usual pockets, specially if you are out in Shorts and T-shirts
at least with the Samsung Gear, no I can keep the Note 3 in arm pocket or something, and then use the Gear to do the basic stuff when i'm out biking on Shorts & Tshirt
which in a way solves the conodrum i was having with quesiton #4

AllGamer said:
How I'm going to carry this phone on a daily basis?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's funny you'd say that. A ton of people were pissed when it was confirmed the N3 was "only" going to have a 5.7" display. I was thrilled because the N2's size is the max I'd go for something whose primary purpose is a phone and the N3's actually smaller.
I think people play with a phablet in a store and think "it'll be fine." In addition to things you mentioned try to use one running through an airport trying to find a connecting gate. Or with only one hand free walking down the street. What seems "fine" in a store or speculatively changes real fast depending on your lifestyle.

I'm going to upgrade from the S4. I actually don't mind the touch wiz that much I just don't think the S4 has enough juice to run it. I love the phone it just gets really hot when I'm playing games and the battery doesn't last me half a day.
Here is my thought process:
Size - S4 is already large so I already had to get used to changing the way I carry my phone
Battery - I can't get half a day out of my S4 in power save mode with features I would use turned off
Screen - I like as much screen size as I can get and I have trouble typing stuff out on smaller phones. I spend a lot of time correcting.
S Pen - This is something I actually really like, some might not care at all about it
RAM - More = better!
Storage - I got the 16GB S4 and didn't realize how little of it would be left. Without installing anything on my phone I'm at 9 GB with some games at 1-2 GB that is not enough space

I'm jumping from the S4 to Note 3. Can't wait!

I'm also ditching the s4 and getting a note 3.
Being a note 2 owner before the s4 I really regret selling my note 2!
I miss the big screen and tons of battery Life.
Also the s-pen makes it worth while for me.
The s4 is a good device but it doesn't fit my needs.
Can't wait till I get my note 3!
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I too will be making the change from a S4 to a Note 3. Main reason being the bigger screen and the ability to use the S-Pen. I had a Note 2 and sold that to get the S4. After a while, I just really started missing the bigger screen. Even with the smaller S4, I still found myself using two hands anyways. So for me it's really a "once you go big, you don't go back." Also I was able to sell my S4 for $500. Purchasing the Note 3 off-contract which is really the same as purchasing the phone on contract since it's a $225 difference or so between what I sold my S4 for and what I'm paying for the Note 3.

wow what awesome feedback!
so everyone seems to agree the biggest selling point is the S-Pen! what exactly does the S-Pen do? i thought the airview/air hover was supposed to the s4's version of the S-Pen, but airview and air hover are absolutely 100% useless in every possible way imaginable. all these features do are get in the way if youre trying to actually do something.. im positive everyone turned them off after the first few days.
so what does the S-Pen contribute?
i was hoping being able to hover over an area of a webpage would act the same way hovering a mouse does, where it brings dropdown menus, mouse hover features, toast popups, any java/flash/html5 features, and every other thing an on-screen mouse is used for. however samsung implemented none of this, and closesourced its hover features. theyre only used for gimmicky things like turning pages on the touchwiz launcher if you hold it a certain way.. -___________-"...
soo, S-Pen?? wutitdo?

I'll keep my S4. Having a larger phone would only be a hassle for my pockets. Plus I have small hands. My S4 will be my pick. I don't need a bigger phone...
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

I missed the screen real estate going from the Note 2 to my S4. I have been anxiously awaiting the Note 3 to step back up to a good size screen. I don't agree that the S4 didn't need anything done to it, but I'm not a fan of all the bloat Samsung and the carriers include on these great pieces of hardware.
edit - For me the S-Pen is secondary. It just happens to be included in a great specced phone with a large screen. I'd gladly buy an identical model without the Pen.

The s-pen isn't the deciding factor for me, though I don't want to give it up either! (I have the Note 2). I use it every once in a while but not often. For me it's all about the screen size. I am one of those who wanted the N3 to be 6" or perhaps even bigger.
However there have been times when it was a bit larger than comfortable in the pocket - ie especially during sports. This was partly the weight, not the size - with loose trousers and big pockets it's worse. Still doable but not ideal; it's a trade off I am happy to make though. Hopefully the lesser weight of the N3 will mitigate that problem somewhat.
On the other hand I'm not considering other brands with larger phones because I think Samsung brings way more software-wise to the table - lots of new features each model, and the s-pen is perhaps the best example. For me the S4 would be too small after the Note 2.
I'm really looking forward to the upgrade as it appears that almost everything on the phone will be improved. Since I have an extra Att upgrade to use and it will cost effectively nothing, upgrading is a no-brainer. If I had to pay full price though I'd wait.
I think if I were you, I'd figure out which phone was the right size; the one I'd be most comfortable with most of the time. After all, feature wise they're pretty close. Both are great devices. (Sorry for long response...)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

One thing I haven't seen people taking about is signal strength.
Maybe it's just me but when I went from the Note to the SGS 3 I noticed a big drop in signal.

soraxd said:
soo, S-Pen?? wutitdo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are already two detailed (p)reviews from phonearena and gsmarena. The former stated the new s-pen features and the latter described them comparatively more in-depth.
Links:
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-3-Preview_id3423/page/2
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3_preview-review-986p4.php
So, we got a new pen window to start these fresh new things to enhance the multitasking:
Action Memo
Srapbooker
Screen write
S Finder
These are already been mentioned by knowledgeable and assumption-expert member(s) like @BarryH_GEG earlier in the general threads. Demo'ed in those vids too.
I am using s3 for a li'l over a year and I find s-pen along with these new features (with varying degrees) interesting.
For an S4 (i9500) user it should be exciting to have the exynos variant. Because now the exynos 5420 has HMP support which will never be possible for i9500 s4.

I really don't understand the OP's question
GNote2 owners doubting to upgrade to the Note3 is understandable, however ..
The S4 is a PHONE while the Note3 is a PHABLET, with S-pen capabilities ...the choice is totally personal
Correct me if I'm wrong .....
Edit: Not to mention the fact that somebody already started a thread just like this one a couple of days ago ....what a mess ....
.

[Q] Hard to decide between Note 3 and Nexus 5

Hi guys,
I am having some serious thoughts on what to get... Basically I am a software developer and I have a Galaxy Nexus, a Galaxy S1 some ond Xperia and a Nexus 7. It is time for me to switch to a new device as my daily driver. The options I have are Galaxy Nexus 5 and the Note 3. The Note 3 is more expensive with around 150$ in my country, considering the type of contract I am getting. The phone will be used for at least one year.
Nexus 5: well, no review yet. Price is reasonable in my country and has the new 4.4. The new android version doesn't impress me. To be honest I find the google experience pretty boring but I have to admit I liked receiving fast updates on my Nexus.
Note 3: I have been reading around the forum for the last days. I saw that many have problems with the home button, the battery life, the screen issues. I like the s-pen features but I am not sure how much I'll use them.
What advice do you give me ? What should I get ?

alinescoo said:
Hi guys,
I am having some serious thoughts on what to get... Basically I am a software developer and I have a Galaxy Nexus, a Galaxy S1 some ond Xperia and a Nexus 7. It is time for me to switch to a new device as my daily driver. The options I have are Galaxy Nexus 5 and the Note 3. The Note 3 is more expensive with around 150$ in my country, considering the type of contract I am getting. The phone will be used for at least one year.
Nexus 5: well, no review yet. Price is reasonable in my country and has the new 4.4. The new android version doesn't impress me. To be honest I find the google experience pretty boring but I have to admit I liked receiving fast updates on my Nexus.
Note 3: I have been reading around the forum for the last days. I saw that many have problems with the home button, the battery life, the screen issues. I like the s-pen features but I am not sure how much I'll use them.
What advice do you give me ? What should I get ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have galaxy note 3 but if i time returns i will choose nexus 5

Please mention your reasons. It would help me a lot. Thanks

I'm using note 3 at the moment and my nexus 5 is on its way to me, will give more accurate impression once received.
Features I prefer nexus 5 over note 3
Design look and feel (massive improvement)
No TW bloatware (another massive factor)
Easier to carry around
More regular software updates kat 4.4
No lag freezing (hopefully)
Features I will miss coming from note 3
camera not impressed at all (will miss that the most)
4k video recording
Battery life
S-pen (just a little)
Multi screens (what a feature)
Large screen
Ext memory

Have you encountered any problems with the Note 3 ? Does it lag ? Do you have that effect on low brightness for dark borders ? How does TW bloatware affect you ?

Battery wise note has 50%more juice. Home button issues - do you mean the button moving around? It is not a problem, people are too much complaining about tiny tiny things they should never find unless they read about it.
Camera - i think nexus5 is way better than n3. Its not the pixels that matter, or software options. Nexus 5 camera is next level, focus is about 10 times faster.
Bloatware yes, samsung puts 700mb of bloatware that you dont receive on nexus. Not sure if anything of that is usable. But cyanogenmod should arrive soon!
I wish note3 had the new camera and with optical stabilization, then it would be perfect!
As for 4.4 - its just a number. There will definitely arrive new android versions fast on the n3, just that you have to flash it yourself and void the warranty.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

I like Nexus because:
- The design of the device and the appearance of the UI is more appealing to me. I like to keep things on my phone looking pretty "minimalistic" with few colors and lots and lots of black. I absolutely hate the Touchwiz cartoony look and I always change everything about it, the process starts immediately on first boot of the phone. Everything about Touchwiz looks awful - the icons, the menus, the choices in colors, those horrible big green quick settings toggles in the notification bar. Stock Android is much much better when it comes to looks. The Nexus 5 and its software looks like it's been designed by a design team made up of adults who actually make cohesive decisions together. Touchwiz looks to me like the school project of a pre-school class where everyone can add their favorite color and everyone gets to participate and add their touch to the design. Little Johnny wants a big blue, round icon there - OK let's put it right next to Jenny's rectangular pink icon there and add Lisa's green toggles! Fun for everybody.
I like Note 2/3 because:
- The battery is bigger. I've never been this satisfied with battery life.
- The screen is bigger. Honestly after using the Note 2, I cringe every time I use my iPhone 4 (I keep it as my spare phone) or my wife's Galaxy S III. The displays are so tiny, I don't think I could go back. Not even to a 5" display.
- I don't like the on screen nav buttons of stock Android. I want the physical menu, home and back buttons.
- The S-Pen. I'm not a heavy S-Pen user but it has really nice features on the Note 3. I use it much more with my Note 3 than I did with my Note 2.
- Memory card slot. Seriously. I could not live without one.
- Removable battery - not a big reason but nonetheless it is nice.
I hate the Note 2/3 because:
- I get to a point where I'm never satisfied with the ROM I use. New stuff is released on XDA and I feel this pressing need to try other ROMs. All the time. Sometimes it seems all I do with my phone is restoring backups. With the Nexus I think that I would be more easily able to just stick with one ROM.. Maybe even the stock ROM, just rooting it.

Don't listen to them
I just bought Note 3 after using Note 2 for couple of months
And go for Note 3 believe me this is the beast .. Note 3 Snap dragon

I am in the same boat as op.
I have a s2 now for 3 years and looking for an upgrade.
Minimum 5 inch screen, preferably a tad bigger.
Key feature should be office workability, due to a upcoming promotion as a project manager.
So I need info from all sorts of documents on the fly. Including excel.
Does the note provide this?
For free time I love playing games and viewing movies.
Help appreciated.
EJ
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app

U may have to wait for few weeks to get the full hands on review about this. Nexus 5. The specs r good. But we don't know about battery life, camera performance, and heating issues. Note 3 is good in these areas.
Sent from my SM-N9005

I am planning on using the Note 3 with stock firmware from Samsung... because of warranty issues of knox trigger. This would also help on trying to reproduce bugs that appear on TouchWiz platform easier. So, having stock on Note3 sucks performance wise ?

efjbdejong said:
I am in the same boat as op.
I have a s2 now for 3 years and looking for an upgrade.
Minimum 5 inch screen, preferably a tad bigger.
Key feature should be office workability, due to a upcoming promotion as a project manager.
So I need info from all sorts of documents on the fly. Including excel.
Does the note provide this?
For free time I love playing games and viewing movies.
Help appreciated.
EJ
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps wait for nokia lumia 1520.
That's ideal for such mundane tasks. Lol
---------- Post added at 02:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:39 PM ----------
alleshi said:
Don't listen to them
I just bought Note 3 after using Note 2 for couple of months
And go for Note 3 believe me this is the beast .. Note 3 Snap dragon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 3 is far better then note 2 for sure but is it the best ow no. It's a beast but not the best.

If i didn't have the Note 3 already i would be pretty tempted to buy the Nexus 5. It's half the price, here, with great hardware, Kit Kat, Google updates, etc. But those touch buttons (why?) on the screen are a no no for me.

Thank you all for replies. After doing a lot of reading on the Buyers remorse thread I see that most of note3 users are happy. The only notable problems are: very weak audio output because of the small speaker, the pink effect around black edges on low brightness settings and the wobbly home button. Also I see that the battery isn't so great.
I am really thinking what to get, as I said, the difference would be around 150$ in price.

If I didn't have N3 already I would have the N5. I had N4 previously.
N3 has plus and minus points.
+ points
Battery Life - best I ever had
SD Card - installed 64GB,some users have install 128GB.
Big Screen - I like the screen some don't like AMOLED colors.
Fastest CPU & 3GB RAM
Multi Window & Pen Window
IrDA port - can control devices from my phone.
- points
Design - not very stylish
Build quality - my back cover already creaks only 1 month old. Others have experienced Home button and screen/multi touch issues
External Speakers - embarrassing from Samsung.
Samsung bloatware - unnecessary
Wireless Charging - not built in but @ extra cost
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Costum ROM
why wouldn't you just wait on xda to get pure 4.4 android and install that ROM on your note 3 ?

Hi,
the Google Nexus 5 is indeed a very good phone. Having switched from Nexus 4 to Galaxy Note 3 I can basically give you good explanations.
The Galaxy Note 3 has plenty more features than the Google Nexus 4 abd 5 which is great.
I would say the Note 3 wins everywhere against the Nexus unless you tell me you prefer smaller screen. In my case, the screen size was the reasob why I moved.
On the otherside, yes there are a lot of Samsung apps and that sucks to me. The Galaxy Note 3 can be rooted easily, so you can easy remove those bloatwares which make me feel more confortable that way.
On the other hand, I do prefer the PURE Androis that the Google Nexus has to the TouchWiz by Samsung because it uses way less resources.
The perfect phone for me would be a Note 3 with a AOSP Rom. (CyanogenMod or Android Open Kang Project (AOKP) because it would give the pure android feeling which means higher battery life, no bloatwares, faster updates.

Ok guys, some N5 reviews have appeared and to be honest, things don't look that good in battery and camera departments. Actually that was kinda expected considering the 2300 mAh battery and 1080p screen.
Now back to note 3, all the small things that bothered me (wobbly home button, pinkish black borders, bloatware) are not important anymore. The things that worries me most is the screen burn in. I saw some reviews where this is mentioned (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3mbkoXCMhs&feature=em-uploademail from 19 minute). I have own so far a Galaxy S1 and a Galaxy Nexus both having amoled screens. On my GNex sometimes I can see the keyboard shadow after using it, but I haven't really noticed any permanent retention as it goes off after a few seconds. I just did a quick check with blue color all over the screen and I can see a very faint shadow of the top bar, but nothing really noticeable. BUT, I use the phone on auto brightness and considering that Note 3 has the most bright amoled display built, I am afraid that it will suffer from permanent burn in because of blue pixels. Could anyone tell me if they have burn in ? This is a major drawback for me and might be the point which may convince me to give up on note3 in favor of N5.
Thanks all for your help. I really appreciate it.

For me it's so simple. They don't even belong to the same category.
Do you need/like the S-Pen features (and do you actually use them)? Do you need the bigger screen and the amazing Full HD @60fps video (let alone the 4K)?
If not then the Nexus 5 is a no brainer at this price point. Plain and simple.
Apps and bloatware are of no importance to me. I always remove them to my preference, to me flashing ROMs is an integral part of a smartphone like Note 3.

I agree with you, but if the screen has issues than all the other features are pointless, considering that the screen is the thing we see most.
It would be really great if owners could do some screen tests and return with the result.

Is the Note 4 the right phone for me? (last minute advice before I purchase)

Can anybody give me any last-minute advice before I sell my iPhone 6 Plus for a Galaxy Note 4?
I'm not looking for any iOS vs Android arguments, but after switching between iOS and Android, I seem to prefer Android much more.
However, I want an Android phone with a top-notch camera and it seems like the Note 4 has the best (?) camera available. I have two little kids and often don't take my camera with me, so I want a phone with a very good camera and excellent video capability as well. (I probably take slightly more videos than I do pictures)
I also want something at least 5" or larger. I'm mostly used to the "large" iPhone 6 Plus size, so I don't think the Note 4 will be a problem.
My top phones I'm deciding between are: Note 4, OnePlus One, LG G3, Sony Xperia Z3, Galaxy S5, Moto X.
Price isn't a concern because I'll be selling my iPhone 6 Plus to recoup the costs.
EDIT: I am a little concerned about the higher resolution on the Note 4 slowing down some light gaming, or having scaling issues with games, etc...

I actually just switched from a 6 Plus to a Note 4 in the past two weeks and I havent really regretted doing so. I have also owned the OPO, G3, and S5 and to my liking the Note 4 overpowers all. Note 4 takes wonderful pictures as you already with OIS as well as great videos. Since I have had the device I haven't snapped a lot of videos but I know there wouldn't be an issue in that category when it comes down to it.
As for slowing down when you are gaming, idk much about that since I do zero gaming on my device. You going from the 6 Plus to the Note 4 will be a breeze since the Note 4 is easier to hold in hands, despite people saying that the edges are sharp on the Note but that doesnt affect me since I run a case on my Note 4.
If you are taking lots of videos and pictures then having that external memory is a plus already. I am running an 128GB sd card in my device which I know is overkill but its there if I need it. I can also store a few 4k videos up there if I really wanted to. I don't think you will be dissapointed with the switch to the Note 4. Yeah it was a stretch coming from how smooth iOS is and then going back to bloaty Touchwiz but TW has been optimized a little more and with a few tweaks it can be very smooth, I say hit some comparison videos up on YouTube and then make the decision.

Thanks so much for the information!
I'm still doing research, and is it true that the AT&T version has it's bootloader unlocked, but the T-Mobile is unlocked?
I'd like to stay with AT&T, so would there be a problem purchasing the T-Mobile version and activating it on AT&T?
Unfortunately one of the applications I use (ARUnchained) requires root access so I do want an Android phone that can be rooted...

I am also on the edge of buying note 4. I am actually using z3 right now and the reason I would be switching is the camera. It is not so good as it looks on the paper and the only reason why I would be changing.
Everything else I like a lot and I actually don't like Samsung as a brand and almost hate touchwiz so the change is not easy..
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Yes! Just go for the note 4 mate that is a top notch android phone.. With a good built quality, camera are also good specially on outdoors but comparing in low light shot iphone camera is still on the top. Battery are great now with fast charging and ultrapower saving mode.. A lot of features and customization (cuz android) also the spen!
And those beautifully 2k display man you can never go wrong
Sent from my SM-N910C

sofakng said:
Thanks so much for the information!
I'm still doing research, and is it true that the AT&T version has it's bootloader unlocked, but the T-Mobile is unlocked?
I'd like to stay with AT&T, so would there be a problem purchasing the T-Mobile version and activating it on AT&T?
Unfortunately one of the applications I use (ARUnchained) requires root access so I do want an Android phone that can be rooted...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the AT&T version right not cant be rooted but I have been following a few threads where people are working on it now but there is not ETA as to where the AT&T version will be rooted, I am also desperately needing root. I think there is also a thread where people are using AT&T service on a T-Mobile phone but there are some disadvantages I think, There should be a thread in the AT&T Note 4 section with all those concerns. But the T-Mobile version can be rooted. If you want a rooted phone and also great quality all around, I would say my next option would be the G3. Very easy to root and also has a great camera. I just couldn't get with LG interface over Android.
CandyAndy said:
I am also on the edge of buying note 4. I am actually using z3 right now and the reason I would be switching is the camera. It is not so good as it looks on the paper and the only reason why I would be changing.
Everything else I like a lot and I actually don't like Samsung as a brand and almost hate touchwiz so the change is not easy..
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah Touchwiz is what it is at this point. I also hate it with a passion but like I said with a few tweaks and I run Nova Launcher, it can be very smooth and right now I have no complaints. I cant speak of the Sony Z series as that is one series I have not yet played with or owned yet.
---------- Post added at 02:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 PM ----------
Markpuge said:
Yes! Just go for the note 4 mate that is a top notch android phone.. With a good built quality, camera are also good specially on outdoors but comparing in low light shot iphone camera is still on the top. Battery are great now with fast charging and ultrapower saving mode.. A lot of features and customization (cuz android) also the spen!
And those beautifully 2k display man you can never go wrong
Sent from my SM-N910C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct my friend, Even though in the beginning I was leery to switch away from the 6 Plus that was a great phone for me, The Note 4 just has too many features to pass up!

Gaming is good for me using my exynos variant

I switched to the Note 4 (Exynos) coming from an OPO. I wouldn't recommend the OPO since it has serious QA issues. My unit had this awful touchscreen issue which rendered the screen unusable when it got too hot. And it's a PITA to RMA it AFAIK.
I'm really liking the Note 4 a lot. Coming from stock or close to stock Android (I owned a Nexus 4 and 5 before the OPO), TouchWiz doesn't feel nearly as bloated as before. Everything is smooth and performance in games is top notch.
It feels great in the hand, the S Pen is quite handy, the screen is absolutely fantastic, the camera is great... My only complaint would be the rear facing speaker.
Samsung really won me over with the Note 4. Glad I picked this one up instead of the Nexus 6.

sofakng said:
Can anybody give me any last-minute advice before I sell my iPhone 6 Plus for a Galaxy Note 4?
I'm not looking for any iOS vs Android arguments, but after switching between iOS and Android, I seem to prefer Android much more.
However, I want an Android phone with a top-notch camera and it seems like the Note 4 has the best (?) camera available. I have two little kids and often don't take my camera with me, so I want a phone with a very good camera and excellent video capability as well. (I probably take slightly more videos than I do pictures)
I also want something at least 5" or larger. I'm mostly used to the "large" iPhone 6 Plus size, so I don't think the Note 4 will be a problem.
My top phones I'm deciding between are: Note 4, OnePlus One, LG G3, Sony Xperia Z3, Galaxy S5, Moto X.
Price isn't a concern because I'll be selling my iPhone 6 Plus to recoup the costs.
EDIT: I am a little concerned about the higher resolution on the Note 4 slowing down some light gaming, or having scaling issues with games, etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simply put it's just the best device on the market right now. Nothing comes close to it. Go for it, you won't regret it like you did the iPhone

after deciding that the note series is the best phablet, you still have to choose between
Exynos Note4, Snapdragon Note4 or Note Edge
after using exynos note4 for sometime, I am considering switching to note edge for the cool curved screen. The feeling of curved glass on thumb is amazing.
I would suggest a in store hands on with the Note Edge first, than go read the exynos vs snapdragon thread on the note 4 if you dont like the Edge.
good luck

I bought The note 4 after long times of researching and I absloutely love it. I own The 6 plus as Well but I like The Note 4 more. I like carrying both operating systems in my pocket. I use the Note for work and taking pics and use 6 plus For chatting and connecting with friends

If you want to use the Gear VR - only Snapdragon runs smooth because of the better GPU